Women carry their children at a shelter in Poltava, Ukraine, on September 18, 2013. All too often, women who use drugs are marginalized, ignored, and left alone to defend their children and themselves in unsafe environments. The Open Society Foundations support efforts to bring people out of the shadows and recognize their right to be full and equal members of their communities.

Nzinga Dotson-Newman moved to Brooklyn, New York, two years ago to find what she described as “freedom.” She now has a business making clothing and accessories from African materials. The work exhibited in Moving Walls 24 / Here We Are: Visual Resistance and Reclaiming Narratives engages with art and documentary practice as forms of resistance.

Syrian refugee families arrive at their new homes in Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland, on December 4, 2015. The United Kingdom’s Community Sponsorship program helps local residents take the lead in ensuring that refugee families are not only welcomed but given the resources and human connections they’ll need to thrive in their new homes. The Open Society Foundations support efforts to improve the settlement of migrants and refugees.

Tímea Junghaus poses for a portrait at Gallery8 Roma Contemporary Art Space in Budapest, Hungary, on May 27, 2017. Despite playing a vital role in arts and culture for hundreds of years, Roma contributions to European society too often go unnoticed. The European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture will help Roma break that silence and tell their own stories. The Open Society Foundations support those fighting to end all forms of prejudice and discrimination.

Street vendor Mayeso Gwanda was on his way to the market to sell plastic bags in Blantyre, Malawi, when he was arrested and charged with being “a rogue and a vagabond.” Gwanda has since filed a constitutional petition arguing that the offense, established two centuries ago by a former colonial power, is outdated, vague, and arbitrarily enforced. The Open Society Foundations support criminal justice reform around the world to help protect those most vulnerable to discriminatory practices.

Open Society Voices

The UN Sustainable Development Goals identify the link between providing access to justice and tackling poverty. Civil society groups must help bridge the gap between these two areas of focus, and governments must act.

In 1993, George Soros made a bold move to help the besieged inhabitants of Sarajevo survive. On the 25th anniversary of the $50 million gift that made it possible, four people who helped make it happen will tell the story.